Day One - Thursday 31st August It was a day of excitement, but a very early start with a 6:10am flight from Glasgow to Murcia. It was a lovely morning with a full moon in the sky while driving down to the airport. The Pyrenees mountains looks amazing from the air.
Arriving at Murcia involved a wait for the (free) bus service from the airport to the bus station in Murcia. Upon arrival at the bus station, I learned the next bus to Blanca was in 2 hours, so I took a little wander around the area. There was an amazing Mercado (Market) next to the bus station and I wandered around this, mesmerized by the beautiful local produce that was on offer. It is always said and true that in comparison to continental markets, British markets are underwhelming. I then took a nap in a small park nearby.
At 2pm I boarded the bus and left the bus station. For a long, long while the bus trundled through miles and miles of industrial outlets and supply stores. As with all such areas, they are completely devoid of any culture and historical buildings. I know that Murcia has historical buildings and museums, but they were not to be seen on this route northwards. So it was not the prettiest of journeys until suddenly the bus turned a corner and there it was, the countryside and the landscape. It looked incredible, half desert and half fertile due to the Segura river. The plains on either side of the river were covered in vegetation such as palms and olive groves. The visible power of the river giving life was an incredible sight. I don’t believe that I have seen something like this before and it bears similar to that of the River Nile.
The bus passes through an interest town called Archena. The town has a beautiful historical feel and I was taken back in time to a bygone era. These towns and villages are the antithesis of the industrialised zones and the commercialised holiday seaside metropolises. The journey continued on, twisting and weaving around the roads, all the while following the river and the fertile flat lands. Blanca soon appeared on the horizon, a town that rises up onto the mountain side or conversely descends from the mountain side.
Centra Negra can only be accessed by foot and it is an interesting walk through the tight and winding streets that lead up to it. The streets have a medieval feel to them, when buildings were built close to each other with only a foot path between them ‘cheek to jowel’ is the term used in English. In Scotland they are known as ‘Vennels’, which is the passageway between two buildings. Centra Negra sits (rather proudly) at the very top of the town and commands an amazing view.
The facility of studios and accommodation can only be described as ‘next level’. It is a place built to preserve the historical and promote creative thinking. It is a place to fall in love with and a place that inspires the making and creative processes. It is obvious that the architect(s) who designed the place were very talented. They have incorporated much as the original features of the original buildings that create a stunning mix of old and new. The studio spaces are full of character, with oxidized iron staircases, wooden beamed roofs and rustic stone work to gaze upon. The whole space is definitely ‘next level’.
That evening, as the sun went down and the moon began to rise, one could only being to imagine the creative possibilities that this beautiful place could inspire.
